Gail on Ice
by unrequitedexistence
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: Gail and the rookies go ice skating, but she hasn't been since grade school. Holly works at the rink teaching kids hockey, spots Gail, and goes to help her after her lesson is over.


Prompt: Gail and the rookies go ice skating, but she hasn't been since grade school. Holly works at the rink teaching kids hockey, spots Gail, and goes to help her after her lesson is over. :)

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><p>31st of December.<p>

Gail Peck was sitting at her desk. Actually, every rookie at 15th was sitting at their designated desks. Why, you ask? Because their shifts were about to be over. In about 5 minutes they were going to be free to go home and celebrate the New Year's Eve.

"Gail…"

Gail Peck, elbows on the table and hands up holding her head, closed her eyes for a moment and sighed deeply at the sound of her name being repeated by the thousandth time.

"Chloe, I swear to God, if you start with the Frozen soundtrack again, I am going to kill you."

Chloe Price was even more cheerful than on the 24th. Who knew that was possible? That was a rhetorical question but, _no one_. And everyone at the precinct was secretly hoping otherwise. A bit of the holiday cheer was actually wonderful but there was such a thing as _too much_. And Chloe was _it_.

Today she had decided to grace the station with quite a few impromptu covers of _Frozen_'s soundtrack. She even dared to re-write a few of the lyrics so they fit the different contexts.

Let it be known that her sanity was not at stake, or at least not for the choice of music - at least not today. Thing was, between the rookies, they had decided to spend the New Year's Eve at an ice rink. Everything was planned out. They were supposed to go as soon as they finished their shifts and they would skate and have warm drinks and then, at midnight, they would head over to The Black Penny to meet the rest of the gang.

The problem? Gail had said it to be lame and was refusing to join them.

Truth was, Gail was never a big fan of festivities that had anything to do with accomplishments. It was just something she was never really keen on celebrating. It was all about either _ooooh last year was so great this one has to be better_ or _oooh last year was so shitty this one has to be better_.

Expectations.

If only they knew they only led to disappointments. But they didn't. Or perhaps they pretended they didn't.

Gail was really jealous of that second option because it was simply not something she was good at. _Pretending_. She was good at ignoring things but that meant avoiding both the good and the bad parts. How can one survive with that skill if life is bittersweet?

"Do you want to go ice-skating? Come on, let's go I'll pay." Chloe sang in tune to _Do You Want to Build a Snowman_.

Gail groaned loudly and laid her head on the desk, using her hands to cover her ears.

Gail's reaction caused Chloe to go a little crazy, to say the least. She seemed like an animated character, jumping up and down in frustration, her hands in the form of fists and to her sides, and you could almost see smoke coming out of her ears.

"Gail Peck. You listen to me." Chloe started after calming down a bit, her hands coming to rest on her hips. "I am offering to pay for your food and you drinks. All of your food and drinks till midnight. Are you listening? And all you have to do is ice-skate. Even if just for a minute."

Chloe almost went back to her jumping up and down in frustration when Gail didn't respond, but then suddenly something changed in her face. You could definitely see the yellow lamp by the side of her head. "Unless…" She started, Gail's ears perking up at the tone of challenge. "Unless you don't know how to ice-skate."

"You know what, FINE. _FINE_. I will go. But you are _so_ paying." And with that Gail Peck jumped out of her chair and went to the locker room to get changed.

"Where is she going?" Asked Traci, who had just arrived with a fresh cup of coffee.

"Oh, she just asked if she could join us and when I said yes she got so excited she ran to get changed so that we can go." Chloe answered with a proud smile as she reached for her jacket so that she too could go change.

"Right. That's exactly what happened." Traci said before joining Dov in laughing as they all made their way to the locker rooms.

—

"Gail, are you coming?"

Everyone was already on the ice and Gail was sitting outside the rink, finishing one hell of a fantastic hot chocolate. One hell of a fantastic hot chocolate she didn't have to pay for, let it be known. Just as promised.

"Just a minute."

"Gaiiiiil."

That caused a few people to look up from whatever they were doing on, and around, the rink. Gail suddenly started feeling like she was being watched and so she finally looked up from the cup of wonder she was consuming. And indeed she was. She raised an eyebrow in defiance and most of the heads went back down to focus on whatever they were doing. All but one. There was one set of curious brown eyes that were watching her all the way from the stand where she had gotten her hot chocolate.

_Incredibly good taste alert._

The stranger actually held her gaze when their eyes met. That was new. And then there was the smile. A lopsided grin that made Gail feel like the other woman was already up to something. What was she thinking…

"GAIL."

The scream made her jump slightly which led to her dropping her cup of hot chocolate.

"FINE. I'm going. But you are so going to get me another hot chocolate after this."

Gail walked closer towards the rink and put her ice-skates on. She hadn't been on the ice ever since… well, it seemed like _forever_.

"It _feels_ like forever." She mumbled under her breath as she set her first foot on the ice.

She was regaining her sense of self, finding her balance, when Chloe basically flew past her causing Gail to start falling. She closed her eyes and bit hard on her lower lip, ready for the pain and to face the laughs from her friends that she was sure would come, when she felt a strong arm being wrapped around her waist, keeping her in place.

"I've got you. You okay?"

"No, I am not." Gail answered softly before reopening her eyes, finding herself staring at the brunette that had held her gaze moments before. "You see, a few people who like to call themselves my friends are apparently trying to murder me." This time her tone was much louder so that Chloe would listen.

"Your girlfriend, you mean? The hot chocolate one?"

Gail started laughing so hard she almost caused them both to fall.

"I am sorry. But my girlfriend? Really? She wishes!" Gail set her hand on the stranger's shoulder as to steady herself.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to… I just… it seemed like she was, you know, by the way she was publicly embarrassing you…"

"No, I am afraid that's just her _bubbly _personality." Gail replied, dropping her hand to the woman's waist as she started to feel more comfortable on her own two feet.

"Can you handle yourself?"

"I would like to think so."

Gail smiled at the sudden blush that took over the stranger's cheeks.

"I meant on the skates."

"Of that I am not so sure… I haven't done this in a while."

Gail looked down at her feet and then back up at the beautiful brown eyes that seemed to be studying her.

"Just hold my hands, okay? I will help you."

"What are you? An ice goddess? Or an ice guardian, perhaps?"

"Something like that. I teach hockey to little kids."

"You are hired." Gail said, linking hands with the other woman.

"Hired, huh? How much are you paying?"

"Whatever you want. Till midnight only, though. My _girlfriend_ is paying."

"I already said I was sorry for that."

"I am just messing with you, nerd."

Holly raised an eyebrow in confusion which caused Gail to smile yet again - something she had been doing a lot for the past few minutes and that wasn't going unnoticed by her friends -, nodding towards the Batman t-shirt Holly was wearing.

"Right. I also go by the name of Holly. You know, on my days off."

"Gail. Pleasure to meet you."

And it truly was. A pleasure, I mean.

They started slow. Small steps into the ice and into the conversation. Gail asked Holly if this was her main thing and she said that no, that she had actually just gotten a new job as a pathologist. Suddenly they were already skating, side by side, discussing the odds of meeting one another just before actually starting to work together.

When the clock struck midnight their lips met.

"Happy New Year, Officer Peck."

"Happy New Year, Doctor."

They were the only ones still on the ice, arms wrapped around each other as foreheads rested against one another.

"Oh, I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting one."

"So do I. I guess I will see you on Monday?"

"Hopefully just not over your dead body."

Gail rolled her eyes and kissed Holly's laugh away before reaching out for her hands and starting to lead her to the rink's exit.

"Funny, nerd. Really funny."

"You want to know what's really funny?"

"What?"

Gail asked casually as they sat by each other, removing their skates as if they had been doing that for quite a few lifetimes already.

"You haven't paid me for my services yet and it's already after midnight."

"You mean you've been up to all of this trouble just because of the payment?" Gail said half jokingly, raising an eyebrow as she focused on Holly's smiling eyes. She was truly up to something.

"Why, of course. I accept good company and good food as payment."

Gail laughed.

"I am pretty sure I can get Chloe to take you out for dinner. She's much more pleasant company than I am."

"But I want you."

"Then I am all yours."


End file.
